This is a stunning 4 star-hotel well located near the Vondelpark and still very close to the centre of Amsterdam. Often crowned as the number one luxury hotel in the Netherlands. The capital city of the Netherlands has a rich history, with its numerous museums and galleries and the Conservatorium Hotel fits in it all perfectly. The building was originally designed as a bank. In 1987 it was purchased and transformed into a defining icon of the city's architecture, and as from 1983 home to the Sweelink Conservatorium. In 2008 the Set Hotels purchased this wonderful building, attracted by its glorious past.
A building with a rich history
Clever touches inside the hotel are reminders of this past role. As a memory of the three musical institutes that were here once, a collection of violins hang over a large table in the entrance to the hotel. Photos of musicians and event held, are exposed on the brick walls. The front of this special building has been preserved, and joined onto its wonderful atrium that's the heart of the hotel. Here are the lobby and reception area, a sitting area, the bar and the main restaurant. All is stylish decorated and very nice to lounge around in. The courtyard has cleverly been covered in glass that emcompasses the lobby and restaurant. Beeing flooded with light, it is a delightful place to work or socialize, have an aperitif or a cup of tea/coffee. During our stay we did it all.
Work, socialize, breakfast or lunch at the courtyard
The rooms are great, not always that practical, but gorgeous. Some have a maisonnette with wonderful bathrooms, and a very stylish decor. The rooms in the older part of the hotel are charming, with every modern convenience. We enjoyed the beds, linens and the nice clean fresh smell in the hallway.
The staff is very professional and at the same time very personal and loose. They are first class, smart attentive and helpful, not particularly speedy, but very good service indeed - nothing was too much trouble and we were welcomed enthusiastically on our arrival. The staff is friendly towards children, but there are no particular facilities for them. Although we have to say our kids felt very much at home. We had some extra requests, but they took care of everything with a smile. The pool and hot tub in the basement are in a beautiful space. Although very upscale, they allow children to use the pool during special hours. We don’t think there are many hotels in Amsterdam that having similar amenities. For adults you will also find a hamam, a sauna, a spa and an excellent gym. Breakfast is delicious. We also ate lunch at the Brasserie once which was nice and dinner at Taiko the modern Asian restaurant in the hotel, which was amazing. We all loved the amazing view over the roofs of Amsterdam from the round windows.
View...
The lack of facilities for kids it’s not that much of a problem when it comes to the city. There’s so much to do. The location is excellent in the Museum area of this charming city. In close proximity to the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh museum, the canals, good shops and lovely cafes and restaurants. So it's easy and fun to hire and ride bikes, especially in the Vondelpark, although with little kids keep an eye on them if they ride their own bike escpailly on the busy and narrow streets. Or as an alternative: take the tram, our kids after many rides still consider this as a nice adventure.
We regularly visit NEMO, a Science Museum – from young to old – to discover how fascinating science and technology are. It is full of exhibitions, experiments, demonstrations and workshops. And we love Artis, the lovely city Zoo or check our other review in Amsterdam.
Furthermore there are dozens of playgrounds and cityfarms. If you feel for an off the beaten track experience and enjoy nature and ecofarming, you might visit Fruittuin van West. The owners are family of ours with an incredible family friendly place to visit; you can pick your own fruits and eggs, have a drink and buy some food. Make sure your kids don’t wear their best clothes!
WOW
# A lovely, luxury hotel with a great design story behind it. The old and new are fused in a way it becomes magical. This is a grand hotel but unpretentious. It looks like a castle that is very modern on the inside.
# Treat yourself, you cannot fail to enjoy this first class hotel, and a city so full of art, culture and things to do for kids as well.
# Be aware of the prices especially with a large family. But it’s worth it if you have the budget. Recommended for any upscale visit, we will surely be here again.
This destination can be booked through The Leading Hotels of the World.